Improvement in fence-posts



J. W. FREY. Fence-Posts.

No. 196,003. Patented Oct. 9, I877.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. FBEY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,003, dated October 9, 1877; application filed August 21, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WESLEY FREY, of Baltimore, in the coimty of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of myimproved fence-post. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the method of fastening it to the ground when designed to support a permanent fence; and Fig. 3 shows a portion of a fence erected with, and supported by, my improved fence-post.

Similar letters of reference denote correspondin g parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to certain improvements in fence-posts; and it consists in providing an ordinary upright with feet or supports, which, when the fence is intended to be but temporary, are sufficient to hold it in position, and by which the posts, when the fence is intended to be permanent, may be readily secured in position, all as I shall now,

proceed more fully to describe.

In the drawings, A is the fencepost. This is an ordinary post or plank, forming an up right, at the lower end of which the feet B B are secured by a nail, spike, screw, plug, or in any other suitable manner. The feet B B, which are secured upon opposite sides of the upright, are of the shape shown in the drawing, viz., triangles with the upper corner cut off. These foot-blocks are parallel to each other, their upper fiat part a being of a length corresponding to the width of the post, which does not extend all the way down to the enlarged bottom h, but only about half-way down, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2, so as to leave an open space or recess (which is filled with dirt in setting the post permanently) between the inner sides of blocks B B and the bottom end of the post. In this consists, mainly, my improvement; and the advantage of this construction is that, whether used for a portable or permanent fence, the plugs C may be driven in imder the post crosswise, as shown in the drawing, and thereby bind the post firmer to the earth than would be the case if the plugs were driven down with their ends diverging from each other.

If a fence constructed with my improved post is only to be temporary, the feet B B are generally sufficient to support it; but in constructing a permanent fence I prefer to secure the post by driving wooden plugs C down into the ground between the feet, after the manner shown, and filling up the interstices with loose dirt, by which means the post is anchored safely in position. Sometimes, however, (especially where there is a long unbroken straight line, and but few corners, in a fence,) it may be desirable to use the plugs G C also with a temporary fence, as these may readily be loosened and withdrawn by a few blows on the head with a mallet, if desired.

My improved fence-post may, of course, be used for fences of every kind and character. When mortised in the sides, it is suitable for a rail or board fence; or it may be used with equal advantage for a chain, pale, picket, or any other kind of fence the construction of which is well known. Small uprights having the supports B B may also be advantageously used for supports in building-blocks and other educational toy games.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States The improved fence-post herein described, for temporary or permanent fences, consisting of an upright, A, inserted at its lower end partially between the supporting-blocks B B, so as to leave an open space between the bottom of the upright and the under faces h of the parallel supporting-blocks B B, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and specifled.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WESLEY FREY.

Witnesses WILLIAM MYERS, STEPHEN MORSE. 

